Sands of Children
by YYLoverGirl1
Summary: Nathan Drake has constantly braved against the fiercest of odds, however the man Elena knew for years was broken. The push to bring him back to reality would not only involve a monster of a treasure hunter, but the fate of children who have died because of this monster. Nathan questions whether or not if the treasure hunting style is meant for him.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys!**

 **Wow, it has been a VERY LONG time since I've uploaded a new story. Minus my one-shot that I did with Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye, I've been dying to get a few more chaptered fanfics out but just like anything life throws its weird curveballs at you.**

 **As of December 2015, I am finally in a relationship with a wonderful gentleman who's been treating me like a princess despite IRL shit I've dealt with and I won't really delve into because I'm here to bring you guys smiles and (in the best way possible) tears of feels.**

 **With Uncharted 4 coming out as well as, oddly enough what pushed me to create this fanfic, being at Disney Epcott back in December at one of the Moroccan restaurants to help cement the location and lore I'll be exploring here in this story.**

 **Surprisingly, as of February 25th, Naughty Dog released their story trailer and I was VERY shocked to say one theory in this first chapter is true:** **Nate and Elena living with each other. However, this story will take place after the events of Uncharted 3 and I'm gonna assume until the events of Uncharted 4 that they've lived with each other. Consider this to be, how long after did Nate recover?**

 **Right now I have the skeleton of what will transpire, but just like Nathan Drake, I gotta hit the books, online articles, and make sure you hit the historical parts just right.**

 **I will try (which I mean) to update this fanfic as well as Second Generation of Sins every other week because I've been missing a lot on fanfics and been channeling a lot of my energy (when I feel it) on original stories. I've got some other fanfics that I've set aside for a LONG time and about damn time I work on them. XD**

 **I've been a HUGE fan of Uncharted and I hope I do justice with Nate and Elena here.**

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"When man is destined to find secrets, sometimes those secrets have to remain that way." - Nathan Drake

/

Nathan Drake took almost every challenge with just enough luck to get him out of perilous situations. Every ancient city he's visited, at one point they've collapsed due to a major implosion or some myth actually becoming real. He just manages to find the right luck or weapons to defeat all sorts of villains. However, sometimes he disregarded those around him which he meant no harm, but with enough apologies and booze things seemed to get better.

Elena Fisher was on her reporting duties as usual at home. Trying to undercover more of the Drake lineage, but Nathan wanted to take a small break. "Honey, could you please turn the camera off. I just need to sit back."

Hearing the words "sit back" shocked the journalist. "Normally you would want to launch yourself headfirst into anything you want to uncover. Why?" she asked with a concerned tone.

"Just, Sully is right about some things. Every single time we try to go find something it turns to shit and normally because of me. Look what happened to Schafer even after the real truth about him was revealed. I'm too reckless and a bit of an idiot sometimes even though I can rattle off history like that."

With her hand placed gently along his face, she looked directly into his eyes. "Yes you might be a bit reckless, but you're not an idiot. Your intentions mean well, just that…" her words trailed off slightly, "You need to be careful; I don't want you to make _the_ one mistake that'll bite you back."

As usual he tried to answer it with a mixture of a chuckle and scoff. However, he quickly realized the inappropriateness of his response. "Sorry." Embarrassment ran through his face and once again found himself feeling like shit. "Why do I even bother? I want to make this work out for us, but I…" his words filled with pain and his tone so burnt out.

Elena was in shock to hear something from the man she's known for years. "The only way you're gonna make it worse is if you keep on complaining. I am more than willing to go wherever your heart desires, but don't bite off more than you can chew." She let her hair down from her usual clipped up ponytail and called for Nate to lie down on her lap. "Everything's that happened to us has been good. I got to see Zoran Lazerevic for the true monster he was and he got what he deserved. It might not be the most meaningful, but as a journalist seeing your own theories come true is both satisfying and horrifying."

Nate let his head roll to the side and attempted to shut his eyes for a second.

"Nate?"

"Yeah honey?"

"You know how much I care about you, right?" Elena said with a delicate tone.

He clenched a fist and tried to release the stress that's been bothering him greatly. "I do. I mean it." his words trailing off slowly as his eyelids slowly came down.

Elena would normally like to get her work done on time, but she had enough of a window for a long needed break. Nate risked himself a number of times just to clench a treasure on a slim to zero chance, but for once he felt defeated. Katherine Marlowe nearly killed him; that poisonous dart left its permanent mark. He always put up a front to show how brave and daring he was; this was the one time he had to drop it for once and not the right reasons.

For a couple of days he seemed disconnected with reality. Newspapers scattered around his desk, but he never once overdid it with booze. He knew that it wouldn't come down to that. The strong Nathan Drake who was supposed to carry on some kind of lineage felt like an utter failure.

It may have been only a few years when he first met Elena and really got to know the kind of woman she was. She had her limits too when it came to his crazy antics, but even in the worst of times she was able to back him up to a certain extent. However, Sully knew Nate a hell lot more than Elena could ever imagine.

Nate still continued to carry his sullen mood from day to day. Things he normally enjoyed were unenjoyable and felt like a chore. Even going on walks to a park right by their apartment felt like miles. It was this unusual feeling that completely bogged him down and yet, he couldn't fathom as to why he just couldn't shake it off.

A normal dinner was made awkward by Nate's silence even when Elena wanted to started up a casual conversation. "Nate, what did you think of last night's episode? I mean god, talk about the bad dialogue and even the animation took a turn for the worst." she wanted to laugh a little bit to give him some kind of a smile, but in return nothing.

This was ridiculous, she had enough of it. The man turned his head to the side, just staring off into the window looking out at the lake. "Elena, why do you continue to stay with me?"

"What are you talking about? I have always been your support from day one even when the whole pirate thing was unexpected. I was a little mad don't get me wrong, but I can never hate you. Ever." her words filled with seriousness and meaning to them.

With a fork in his hand, he continually tapped it against the plate with no real effort to eat his meal. Even the tapping sound pissed him off so he threw it on the table. Anger pounded against the table and Elena didn't want to hear or see it. "Stop it-" a small fire burned underneath her tone, "I'm not gonna let you do this to yourself. I'm not gonna let you go down this path alone because you're not. You have so many people who care about you. Chloe, Cutter, and Sully, they want to help you as best as they can."

The glisten that were in Nathan's eyes dulled out. "Look at me, I've screwed up more times than I can count. I think my treasure hunting days should be done."

"I cannot get through to you!" her words broke apart in shock and she had to leave the dining room just to collect her thoughts.

"Whatever." he quickly murmured underneath his breath. He grabbed for the television remote to just put on something to dull out his stress mind just a little bit. Flip after flip, nothing looked interesting. From across the kitchen, the last thing Elena wanted to hear in the middle of a conversation was a television show.

"Nate, could you please shut that off? We are in the middle of a _very_ important conversation and the TV's a distraction."

He turned away to yell back at her to back off, until something very alarming didn't sound right. The last channel he left it was a news channel and a somber tone announced, "Children in Morocco have been disappearing and even some have been found dead. Some are speculating if these children bear a mythological mark which some believe is the key to finding uncovered treasure." _Who the fuck uses children to get treasure?_ The pure shock and disgust shot down through Nate's mind. He shook his head, to even think that a child would be used for personal gain made his stomach sick.

"Elena, you need to come here." With a simple gesture towards the television she reluctantly came.

"What is it now- OH MY GOD…" The bold text at the bottom of the screen made her cover her mouth. She wasn't sure if she wanted to cry or exclaim in horror. Quickly she sat in front of the television set closely listening to any other pertinent details. A string of words involved kidnapping, murders, and alleged black market suspects. _How could someone to this to a child? What did they do to deserve this?_ Those words left an exact bitter, disgusting taste in her mouth. She turned to Nathan hoping he would snap back into reality.

Nate finally woke up; it was about time he picked up the pieces. He no longer wanted to feel like a victim nor like a fool who couldn't do anything. If anything, he had to prove that his treasure hunting skills could help solve and even rescue children who had no say in their fate.

/

 _If the fate of a child can prove the fate of a man, than what difference does it make if one dies and you have others to help carve the path?_

* * *

 **Well then... OwO**

 **When I was going through this chapter I did cry a few times just because we're all used to seeing Nate facing everything with his sort of, caution-thrown-to-the-wind mentality.**

 **Well, looks like Nate will need to fight against the past that Marlowe inflicted onto him in order to prove that he's more than just a treasure hunting looking for the biggest reward in the end.**

 **Now, if you want to know about the last line before the line break, well I've got my villain in the works and I'll say that he'll be a dick to kids for sure!**

 **Just like anything I've posted here please R &R! Thank you! ^w^**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys!**

 **Back with another chapter for you! I've been playing some of the games as of recently for a friend who REALLY likes the game and just fuels me more to get this story done before the fourth installment.**

 **Since talking about the fourth game, I was so upset when it got pushed back by two weeks, but oh well. Story of my life as a video gamer. XD**

 **Please enjoy this chapter!**

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Metal cages rattled, filled with the sounds of children crying in fear and panic. Scars and obvious open wounds showed them how much torture they endured. Bandages were wrapped over and over infected skin, their hair matted by blood and clothes in tatters. For days on end they were barely given any food, and older men with automatic machine guns guarded them day in and out.

"Please, let us out. We want to go home. There are kids here who are dying because you refuse to give them food, basic essentials even." One of the prisoners, who looked like he was about thirteen to fifteen, demanded.

The loud crack of a whip caused the older prisoner to guard the other children. Most of them stared at the ground and cried loudly. His eyes narrowed into slits; he was ready to fight.

However, one of the prison guards opened the gate of the cage to grab the boy for more lashings. "You shut your mouth, قُمامة."

A leather whip was used violently against the boy, crack after crack it contacted against his skin. Yet, he never let out a single tear. "You can try to break me, but all of you are monsters."

Doors opened slowly and the ring leader waltzed in with a disgusting smirk on his face. "Why all of this violence here? I want to make sure my valued finders are unharmed; however, it looks like one of them wants to start mutiny here. Just remember, your words will result in your bodies being thrown into a river." He turned around and walked away with a few laughs.

Metal closed loudly and the eldest child was thrown back into the cage. More of the children huddled into a circle, with their hands clasped together and prayed for hope.

/

The news was riddled with nothing but children in Morocco slaughtered and found in rivers. So many people feared about traveling to the country, even did not bring children with them.

"Not only are the citizens horrified, but many tourists are taking precautions such as not bringing their children. The authorities are doing what they can about the situation; there are a few rumors about a ring leader's involvements with these missing children. Although, no one has been able to identify who this ring leader is and what his motives are. Many of the citizens believe that these children are part of a folklore called…" A news anchor somberly explained with the television set playing loudly in the middle of the living room. The television was still on, but Nate muted it to just to check the weather reports here and there.

It was clear that a lot transpired within a few days, from the news continually airing about children being slaughtered found in rivers, to a few plane ticket purchases. The phones wouldn't stop ringing in their apartment and it looked like a complete wreck. Nathan and Elena quickly grabbed their stuff to get a few bags ready for God knows how long they'd be gone.

"Nate, don't you think we should contact Sully and the others for an important trip like this that could potentially save children? You know, it seems to be common to head out to another country without thinking too far ahead," she asked candidly.

A few maps and recently bought travel guides with Morocco written boldly in white across the front cover assured Nathan that everything would be just fine. "Look, I've been spending night and day trying to familiarize myself with the country so that we don't look like a bunch of fools wandering about."

He picked up the guide book as a well as an Arabic dictionary to at least understand a simple "Hello" and even "Where's the bathroom?" Page after page the letters and pronunciation keys were starting to blend and bleed into one another.

The television set was blasting again and Elena found it nearly impossible to focus. "Nate, can you please shut the damn thing off? I gotta make sure I have my passport and other stuff. Blaring, loud, and obnoxious sounds totally throw me off." Even trying to catch a flight was causing her to stress out. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to calm down.

Once again the television screen showed the terrible incident from Morocco, but Nathan reached for the remote to mute it for just a few minutes. His familiar grin was slowly coming back. "Look, you won't need to worry about a ride. Sully will be coming on his way to pick us up _and_ he'll be tagging along with us."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You got Sully in this as well? Why?" She wasn't sure if she wanted to throw her stuff across the table or just sit down to recollect her thoughts. _Nate_ , y _ou always jump the gun before you let others try to help you._

"Look, why don't you let us handle this stuff? You worry too much and I went out of my way back in Yemen to make it easier for you and Sully. As per your usual, you two end to get caught up in some kind of destruction of a city."

She continued to run her fingers through her hair, but after enough times she was forced to re-tie it. Blond strands fell against her face; Nathan slowly walked over and took her closest hand. "I want you to help, but I'm tired of seeing people being hurt because of my actions."

With a slow pivot, she put her hand against Nate's jawline. Gray eyes couldn't look straight into blue, iridescent ones. Part of her just couldn't resist his gaze, they were drawn together like a flame that couldn't be put out. They knew how much they deeply cared about one another. No strings or bombs could pull them apart from each other. Even when Nathan thought she was dead in Shamballa, Elena fought every second to stay alive. Their love and survival proved beyond anything else, the strong connection that would last as long as they wanted to.

The quiet and serene mood finally helped to calm down their nerves. Elena felt utterly embarrassed; she was supposed to play the straight man but even her emotions got slightly out of hand. _Look at me, I'm a blubbering mess and Nate needs me more than anything else._ A few laughs escaped from her and when she attempted to look down, but Nathan kept a loose grip on her chin. She tried to take a step back, but he kept on following her.

Both of their cell phones conveniently went off, each of them having their own unique ring tones and always caused both of them to laugh. Elena with the most typical bubble-gum pop track while Nathan's always changed it up with some hard rock, metal tune.

"Hello?" both of them said at the exact time.

There was an elongated pause and, both of them looked at each other with confused expressions on their faces. Nathan put his hand over her mouth for a few seconds.

"Who on earth are you?" Nathan questioned. A few more deep breaths transpired until a man with a voice that was obviously pitched lower.

"You've always been a man who never backed down to find a treasure with a reward on the end. You've circled the globe with the fewest resources and you always come on top of your adversaries. Prove it to me that you're willing to do whatever it takes to find it, because I am willing to sacrifice whatever it takes. However, some bodies may have to be thrown into this blood river." The same message also came out of Elena's phone and she was just shocked. Elena didn't know what to do, but Nate shushed her and proceeded to answer the man's bizarre request.

"Sure, I am a treasure hunter and yes I have found unbelievable treasures only foretold in folklore. However, I've made one too many mistakes in my selfish conquests and you sound like the definition of selfish. Yes, I'd be willing to find whatever treasure I wanted, but I have standards and morals. If you were so desperate to find what _you_ wanted, get off your lazy ass and find it yourself."

A few laughs could be heard from the mysterious gentleman and Nathan was not amused in the slightest.

"How is any of this funny?" Nathan responded with a fiery, bitter tone.

Off to the side, the sound of a revolver being cocked was heard and one bullet being fired set the tone. "Ah, Mr. Drake. You have always been known as a cocky, little shit, haven't you?"

"Yeah, whatever. What does this mean about the children you have captured and turned into your little slaves?"

"Ah, you figured me out, then? You're smarter than you appear." Another bullet was fired, but ricocheted off of a metal cage.

"If you don't fall in line, then I'll simply kill one of them as a bargaining tool hmm?"

Once again, another long pause from the questionable man on the phone. Elena went back to the home screen on her phone ready to message the authorities, but Nathan reassured her he's got everything controlled.

"Look, whatever you want me to find, I'll find it for you. However, it'll just be me and a few of my colleagues. Do you understand?" A small fire was heard underneath his tone, his gaze focused onto one of his windows. Without even any thinking, his feet carried him to the end of the kitchen.

"Mr. Drake, I am usually a man of my word. However, I've got powerful assets at my disposal and I'm not sure if they'll be deployed at the right time. I'm waiting for you and I've left my door wide open for your arrival. Check your email, at your convenience, and really don't rush here. You'll find me at one point."

Nathan leaned against the kitchen wall, giving Elena the occasional nod that everything was somewhat okay. He quickly checked to verify the email the strange man described. "Fine, I have your email and my flight is scheduled to leave later today, but I'll be making a quick stop in London. I've got a few important things to pick up there."

"That is perfectly fine Mr. Drake, but remember there's only so much time that can be spent," a few chuckles escaped. "Just remember your hands have been put into this pool of blood, you'll never be able to wash it off unless you bring the disinfectant."

The entire conversation was just so appalling to Elena she was ready to call the cops to trace the call, but Nathan's demeanor proved her otherwise.

"Okay, I'll bring some disinfectant and a few grenades to blast you into next week. You'll regret messing with me and harming children." His tone was growing with more anger.

"Oh, ha ha, I do love your sense of humor Mr. Drake. I'll slowly wait for your arrival. Just remember, time is money so spend it wisely."

Before Nathan had the chance to respond, the man hung up, but a horrible metallic screech forced him to drop the phone. "The hell?"

Elena wanted to refocus on the task at hand and just get to the airport. "Nate, we need to get going. Call Sully and let's get the hell out of here. Even if we tried to get the cops involved, they wouldn't be able to trace the call. It's up to us, I guess." A bit of somberness was sensed from her tone and she dropped her head in disgust, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. The once super, famous Elena Fisher would always like to be one step ahead of her targets for her reports, but even her own game was being played. It was clear that this target didn't want to move and forced the other player to move when it was desperate.

Both of them ran across their apartment like madmen double checking, even triple checking that all of the appropriate paperwork has been filed and they've got enough clothes for a primarily hot country.

Once again, both of their cell phones' ringtones went off again and they looked at each other with dread on their faces. "Please, not again," both said.

"Hello?" they said in synchronized harmony.

A man with a familiar gruff tone came through. "Nate, why the hell are you keeping this old man waiting? I could've had a beer or two, haha. I'm not getting any younger."

Elena was able to hear that voice loud and clear. A smile beamed across her face and a bit of relief too. Nothing else could possibly go wrong, in a brief moment she let her hand drop while still holding her phone.

Nathan ran his fingers across his chin with a mixture of a laugh and cough. "Oh God Sully. It's so freaking great to hear your voice, but we need to get out of the country soon and I didn't book a hotel room-"

"What?!" A flustered yell from Elena interrupted the conversation.

"Don't worry about it kid; Chloe, Cutter, and I got your hotel rooms taken care of. You're gonna be making that stop of yours in London, then the five of us will be flying to Casablanca and disperse where we need to."

"Ah Victor, you ruined the surprise. You should've waited until they got here," a woman spoke with a sultry, familiar accent.

"I'm not normally a man who likes to wait for something exciting; I'd rather have it done quickly on the spot," with a gruff chuckle from the old man.

"Chloe, are you and Sully calling from the same room? What are you two planning?" Elena sarcastically questioned.

"What the hell am I, chopped liver?" A man with another familiar tone came through on Elena's phone as well, though this one had a British accent.

Elena perked up even more, a wide smile across her face; she was even more relieved. "Cutter, oh my God. Why didn't you speak up earlier?"

"Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag; Chloe, Sully, and I will be flying together to London."

Nathan's eyes shone with more delight, and some of the stress has been taken off his shoulders. He cracked his neck and almost wanted to yell into the phone, but he refrained. "Guys, this is probably the best thing I've heard in weeks and I know the five of us can take this bastard down."

The sound of a lighter clicking came through, and Sully took a long puff of his favorite brand of cigars. "Well, Chloe, Cutter, and I will be at your place in about an hour. Cutter needs to refill his minutes as always."

"Cutter, why don't you ever get a normal phone?" Nathan asked with a sarcastic remark. Just all of the stress and pity on himself was slowly starting to lose its grip, but he was ready to take that murderer down. _I'll show him that he's not messing with any ordinary treasure hunter; I'll make sure that I'll serve him justice._

Nathan's eyes were filled back with his old determination and his smirk told it all.

Elena for a second took the phone away from her ear to get Nathan's attention for something else. "Hey Nate, why don't we end these phone calls now." Her eyes pointed downwards, and her tone softened. "Why don't you and I take a nap or a shower if you want to? We got a long flight ahead of us and I don't think sleeping on a plane would be the most comfortable place."

His gaze widened and he wasn't going to be hesitant at all for something like this; he'd do anything to make Elena happy and safe. "Hey, Sully, looks like we've got our bags ready. Get here when you can because Elena and I are gonna take a quick 'nap,'" He winked to the phone.

A small laugh from Chloe could be heard. "Why don't we let these two lovebirds have their private moment?" Both Cutter and Sully chuckled and knew it would be best for them to have their alone time.

"Well, Nate, just make sure when I see you that you have your pants on, okay?" Victor chuckled gruffly.

Metal clicked and the phones were put away. Elena's blonde hair fell down in front of her face; she wasn't so much concerned with the state of it. It laid perfectly against her soft face, but covered her winning smile. As she went to tie her hair back up, Nate swooped her right off your feet.

"I'm not gonna give you a moment. We're gonna take our nap."

Both smiled at each other, their eyes trapped within each other's. Elena was able to reignite the fire that drove Nathan to be the treasure hunter he's been known for, to carry on the legacy of Sir Francis Drake.

From her research, she knew just how much of an achiever the famous, historical Drake was. In many ways, Nathan carries on this legacy from the journeys he's ventured even with the risks associated with them. As much as El Dorado, Shamballa, and even the Iram of the Pillars were ridiculous to pursue by most people; Nathan exceeded those expectations. Where most mortals would dream of possessing the powers from such legendary items, not most people were deserving of them. They paid the price for their misdeeds.

Blankets and sheets rustled and, Nathan and Elena couldn't help but laugh at a moment of happiness and bliss. They didn't care what little time they had until Sully came; all that mattered was those two feeling each other's embrace. The trust, loyalty for one another mattered the most.

The journalist's elegant body rested perfectly against the treasure hunter's lean physique. Her head curled against his chest, feeling every single breath as his chest rose and fell. "Nate, all I ask of you, is to just be able to listen and let us help you out."

He took a longer breath and held it for a few more seconds. As he released another one, the tension melted away. "I trust you and the others believe me, but all I ask of you is to have faith in me and my words."

She simply responded with, "Okay. I will trust you, wherever you or I decide to go."

/

Children panicked in fear. Tears and blood have been shed more than once. Their physical injuries just scraped the surface of the torture they've endured. The eldest of the prisoners had the most severe marks on his back and arms alone, yet he didn't want to break. Many of the children looked up to him as the leader.

"Jamal, when do you think we'll be able to go home back to our parents?" the youngest female spoke with an incredibly quiet tone.

"Mina, I don't think we'll be going home for awhile."

Blood marks stain the walls and the cabinets filled with guns showcased the true horror they were going to face.

Just as more armed men walked back into their prison, they huddled back and the ring leader once again was so proud of his accomplishments.

"Oh, once Mr. Drake arrives, you children will be put up to the ultimate test. If you dare fail me, well, you'll end up like your other siblings. Washed up in a river where no one will give a damn about you."

* * *

 **It was a LOT of fun to write romantic Nate and Elena just because these two are my favorite couple right next to Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye, and Tony Stark and Pepper Potts.**

 **I do feel like I should've given Chloe more lines, but we will be seeing a lot more of her for what I have later on. Same thing will happen with Cutter!**

 **Please R &R and feel free to PM me.**

 **Thank you so much and hope you guys have a good day.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Well... I was hoping to have this done in time before Uncharted 4, but at least I will have a chapter before the game comes out in a few hours.**

 **I apologize for my sparse updates with some of my fanfictions, things have just been really crazy with the family job and a relationship that I've been in for about 4 months.**

 **Also, I'm gearing up for con season and dealing with my own original writings.**

 **I hope this chapter brings some smiles here because I seriously love writing the chemistry between Nathan and Elena. It's that kind of chemistry that is my bread and butter which is why I'm also a HUGE fan of Royai, Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye from FMA, or Pepperony, Tony Stark and Pepper Potts.**

 **Hope you enjoy this! ^w^**

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Cars stalled and the general traffic was driving the normally calm Sully crazy. "Why the hell do these drivers get driving licenses if they can't drive for shit? Goddamn it," he yelled and was ready to curse out the drivers for their incompetence.

Charlie just wanted to listen to his music with no interruptions and Chloe had to play navigator for the old man.

"Victor, why do you need me to play your silly pilot? Haven't you been to their place enough?" She pinched the bridge of her nose and her tone sounded so exhausted.

"Sorry my lady, but Nate and Elena just bought this house a few weeks ago and I haven't exactly visited them that often." He took another puff from his cigar to let all of the tension go.

"You know Chloe, I'm just waiting for the day that Nate can stop being a basket case about everything. He always has to get himself riled up over things."

In response, Chloe raised her eyebrows. "Well, Elena does something like that too but she's a bit more composed. Nathan's a campfire that can grow out of control at any second. He's impulsive at times and…" Her words trailed off with her usual intense, passionate fervor.

The old man let out a chuckle.

"What's so funny Victor?" she inquired.

"Isn't it obvious? Even before Nathan and Elena became the item couple, you loved him. In the past when you had to deal with that shithead Lazarevic, you were always worried about him and making sure he didn't stick his head in the wrong place."

She tossed her hair to side and had to snicker a little bit. "Yeah, he may have looked out for me, but he's not exactly the best listener. I told him not to follow me, and let's not forget that he's not really subtle."

The word subtle caught Charlie's attention and he let out a loud laugh. "Oh jeebus, that man doesn't know how to make things subtle unless it involves a couple of explosions. Ha, ha," he wanted to laugh at it more, but neither Chloe or Sully found it funny. He sinked back in his spot and turned the music up.

Cigar smoke permeated from Sully's mouth as he lit another cigar just to pass the time until traffic thinned out. Bumper to bumper traffic carried on, but the three were ready to support Nathan and Elena. They all knew how much of a rut he was in for the past few weeks; they knew him as a man ready to seek anything at any cost.

Back at Nathan's place, the two love-birds continued to have their fun. Laughing and smiling, feeling each others bodies against one another. This was the bonding that they needed.

However, blaring, obnoxious car honks ruined the mood. Clothes were draped around furniture and Elena didn't want to let go of Nate. "Looks like Sully's caught you red-handed?"

Nathan shook his head for a second and didn't quite sink in yet. "What do you mean 'red-handed?'"

Elena snickered and tried to conceal it. "I heard him say that he doesn't want to catch you without your pants on and you dropped your guard." She tried to slip away from the bed but he jumped and pulled her right back in.

"Oh no you don't. You and I deserve to have a little more fun before the old man gets in."

With his hand right on top of Elena's head and the other on her back, he tightly hugged her and kissed along her neck. Her head tilted to the side and hands laid delicately across his broad shoulders. "Well, come on Mr. Treasure Hunter, you know what needs to be discovered, right?"

"Um… What are you implying?" His eyes widening with a confused look on his face.

She turned her eyes downwards, hands fiddling with the sheets and her smile beamed. Her hair obviously messed up from the "fun" they had and occasionally checked her phone if someone was blowing up her social media. A sigh escaped; her lips slightly pouty, waiting for Nathan to make the next move.

"Well, Mrs. Drake, I think you want me to find the fire within me which has been put out for awhile. That fire was the reason you fell in love with me, albeit being a but out of control at times. However, you'll always stick with me no matter what. Right?" His right hand carefully caressed her face and a kiss on the forehead made her very happy.

"The one reason why I think you and I were meant to be together was after the events with Lazarevic, you were the only guy I met in my life who cared about me. Yeah, Jeff and I were friends, but I think he just wanted to stay friends with me but of course I was fine with it. It was that, no other person in my life wanted to give me the benefit of the doubt with what I'm capable of doing. You might be a bit reckless, but at the end of the day you're doing everything you can to protect those you care about." Every word she spoke was meaningful, yet something in the back of her head was telling her to be almost cautious. Just as Nathan took time to get out of the fog, she as well was concerned about saying the right or wrong things to him.

"That is true Elena, I can be a bit of a selfish asshole at times who tries to bite off more than he can chew. However, I think being with you is helping to get the stupid out of me. I'll still be impulsive about things, but I'll try my damn best to think them through." He laid his head back just letting all of the stress go. For too long, all of the pent up emotions and trauma were too much for him and he just didn't want to put anyone else through them. Sure a lot of stuff should've killed him, but he had the endurance to go through it all.

Their room was just a mess, articles of clothing were draped around chairs and some of his weapons were ready to be deployed at the right time.

Although, a few knocks at their front were appropriately deployed and the two lovers knew it was time to go. Belts clinked and zippers zipped, and a few kisses were added into the mix.

Charlie stood there whistling to a tune of his favorite kid's show, but Chloe and Sully were tapping their feet waiting for the slowpokes to get their carcasses moving. Chloe hit the doorbell a couple of times and Sully knocked on the door.

"Come on kid! What did I tell you about not catching you without your pants on?"

Just as Sully said that, a lock was undone and he smirked at Nate as Nate fumbled with his belt and a piece of paper in his mouth. It was just too funny to Sully and Charlie couldn't be subtle about it. Chloe took a few steps into their house and was just amazed by the beauty of it. As per Nate's usual, a couple of rare treasures decorated the furniture and Elena's photography equipment was all over in the living room.

"Elena, I know you told me you have a few cameras, but I wasn't expecting an entire studio."

"Yep, besides reporting, I do a whole bunch of photography when I get enough free time to do it." The two ladies were so happy to see each other after a long time, but Nathan and Sully quickly patted each other on the backs.

"So Sully, you were right what would happen when you got here."

Sully put his hand up to reassure Nathan that everything was alright. "No worries kid, I was just giving you crap, but now I got some more black mail material to use against you."

"Yeah, just remember Sully, who's got more wrinkles than the number of my fingers combined?"

"Oh ha ha, very funny Nate."

Charlie was still leaned against Nathan's and Chloe's house waiting for the four to be ready at any point. "Don't mind me, we've still got ten plus hours of airtime and I'm not exactly good when it comes to airplane sickness."

Chloe quickly realized that Charlie was true and the time on her watch was also true. "Oh shoot, we better get going. Victor, I'm gonna need you to put the pedal to the medal if we're gonna make it in time."

"Chloe, what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't know where to put things properly?" His tone had a playful sense to it and had a big, old smirk on his face.

"Sully, you're a dirty gentleman if anything." Nathan retorted back with, while Elena pinched the bridge of her nose and laughed. Charlie bit his cheek to contain his laughter.

Elena slinked her arms around Nathan and Sully as per her usual fashion. "Boys, we definitely need to just go a normal vacation and not worry about some asshole wanting to throw a country into complete discourse."

Sully couldn't agree any more. "Oh, definitely, if we decide to go anywhere, it's gotta be a country filled with beautiful women."

The foreigners looked at each other with a bemused look on their faces and grabbed a couple pieces of luggage.

"Come on you blokes, we don't want to miss our flight." The British man plainly stated.

It was the reunion the five needed in a long time, everyone willing to crack up jokes and to see a couple of smiles. When it was those five who worked together, anything was possible to be achieved. While every one of those missions may have not worked out _perfectly_ or as expected, something good did always turn out.

Shamballa allowed the true romance between Nathan and Elena to blossom and the Iram of the Pillars allowed Charlie to join in on the hijinks.

Everyone got in the car and quickly got their seat belts out. The sound of a lighter clicking was heard and one of Sully's favorite cigars helped to set the mood. "Well, onwards to Morocco."

Pavement glided perfectly against the car's tires and the weather, sunny and cloudless, couldn't be any better.

However, the weather over in Morocco would be a foreboding sign of the dangers Nathan and the others were about to witness. Some of the villains they've faced were ruthless, but no children were ever brought into the mix. No child deserved to be punished because they were not willing to do horrific things.

/

Rachid Amin, the glorious, notorious leader and organizer of the major school in Morocco stood in front of it with a smug look on his face. Knuckles cracked and he was ready to make a "big" announcement to his "funders." They all sat there, with a blank look on their faces. Occasionally they checked over at their "students" with a few guns and whips at their disposal.

The fat leader was being a bit boastful and prideful by letting his "esteemed students" sit right next to him for his announcement. "I am happy to declare that these students here help to exemplify what my school wants to set for the world: loyalty, obedience, intelligence, and respecting authority. My students will help to make their mark in our world as they help us take a few steps closer to fame and glory. It is because of them that we've been able to procure some of the finer things us adults normally couldn't get."

A few people applauded, but kept their firm grips on their guns.

"However, it appears that an American man will help to show how someone of his 'uniqueness' might be able to shed some new light on our children. Jamal and the others will help the American, but if he dares to step out of line, certain punishments will have to be used."

Some of the men from the audience went up to shake his hand, while Rachid, being the greedy bastard many knew him to be, smiled for the camera and was ready for Nathan Drake to arrive.

 _Oh Mr. Drake, you know how to be a little shit and get in the way of the things that I deserve to own._

 _/_

Hundreds of people came in and out of the airport, but the five were ready to embark on a hunt like no other.

While Charlie was fighting against serious sea sickness in the metal plane, Nathan was plotting out just how he would serve justice against the monster. _No child ever deserves to be punished intentionally by an adult. I'll make sure I send this bastard into next week. Just you wait for me._

* * *

 **Man oh man, Nate is SO ready to kick Rachid's ass. XD**

 **Considering that Charlie was put through quite a bit also in the third game, I would believe that he's a bit more sensitive to things that might overstimulate him so I can kinda head cannon him getting seasick often.**

 **I definitely have plans for a more detailed scene with Elena and Chloe, because our favorite Australian hasn't shined quite yet.**

 **Don't worry we'll be seeing the kid characters soon, just a little more tinkering needs to be done.**

 **Expect a lot more from me after I finish up a FMA Challenge where I have to write 15K words, but I know that can be done too.**

 **As always, please R &R! ^w^**


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